Historic Site · Dublin, Ireland
Kilmainham Gaol
Kilmainham Gaol (Irish: Príosún Chill Mhaighneann) is a former prison in Kilmainham, Dublin. Built 1796.
Photo: Colin via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Dublin, Ireland |
|---|---|
| Type | Historic Site |
| Built | 1796 |
| Coordinates | 53.3417° N, 6.3094° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Kilmainham Gaol is known for
Kilmainham Gaol (Irish: Príosún Chill Mhaighneann) is a former prison in Kilmainham, Dublin.
About Kilmainham Gaol
Kilmainham Gaol (Irish: Príosún Chill Mhaighneann) is a former prison in Kilmainham, Dublin. Opened in the late 18th century as the County of Dublin Gaol, it is now a museum run by the Office of Public Works. Many Irish revolutionaries, including the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising (Patrick Pearse, James Connolly, Tom Clarke, Seán Mac Diarmada, Joseph Plunkett, Éamonn Ceannt, Thomas MacDonagh), were imprisoned and executed in the prison by the orders of the UK Government.
History
When it was first built in 1796, Kilmainham Gaol was called the "New Gaol" to distinguish it from the old prison it was intended to replace – a noisome dungeon, just a few hundred metres from the present site. It was officially called the "County of Dublin Gaol", and was originally run by the Grand Jury for County Dublin. Originally, public hangings took place at the front of the prison.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Kilmainham Gaol website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Dublin |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Dublin Airport (DUB) |
| Distance from the airport | 6.5 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Dublin Airport (DUB) · Dublin, Ireland · 6.3 miles away
- Isle of Man Airport (IOM) · Castletown, Rushen, Isle of Man · 85.9 miles away
- Belfast International Airport (BFS) · Belfast, United Kingdom · 91.0 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Ireland
More historic sites
Frequently asked questions
What is Kilmainham Gaol?
Kilmainham Gaol (Irish: Príosún Chill Mhaighneann) is a former prison in Kilmainham, Dublin.
Where is Kilmainham Gaol located?
Kilmainham Gaol is in Dublin, Ireland. Its coordinates are 53.3417° N, 6.3094° W.
How do I get to Kilmainham Gaol?
The nearest town is Dublin, and the nearest airport is Dublin Airport (DUB), about 6.5 miles away (straight line).
When was Kilmainham Gaol built?
Kilmainham Gaol was built 1796.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilmainham_Gaol — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1049842 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://kilmainhamgaolmuseum.ie/ — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.